Heat-dissipation structure

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipation structure including a wind cover, a heat sink and a wind-shielding plate is provided. The wind cover has an outlet and a fan connection portion corresponding to the outlet and having an inlet. In addition, the heat sink includes a base, multiple fins disposed in the wind cover, and at least a heat pipe passing through the fins and being fixed on the base. The wind-shielding plate is connected to a lowest one of the fins for leading an air flow to move around a heat source. Accordingly, the waste heat near the heat source can be taken away.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 94217787, filed on Oct. 14, 2005. All disclosure of the Taiwan application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat-dissipation structure, and more particularly to a heat-dissipation structure capable of dissipating heat in various directions.

2. Description of Related Art

In recent years, computer technology has been greatly and fast improved. With the operation speed of the computer advancing continuously, the power of electronic devices in the computer constantly increases. In order to prevent overheating of the electronic devices in the computer, which causes the temporary or permanent malfunction of the electronic devices, it is important to provide a sufficient heat-dissipation function to the electronic devices in the computer. Being as an example, the temperature of a central processing unit (CPU) may exceed a normal operation temperature and cause the error of computation or the temporary malfunction when being operated in high speed, which leads to the crash of the computer. Further, when the temperature of the CPU excessively oversteps the regular range, the transistors in the CPU may be damaged, which leads to a permanent malfunction of the CPU.

Referring to FIG. 1, it is a schematic view of a conventional heat-dissipation structure. The conventional heat-dissipation structure 100 comprises a wind cover 110, a fan 120 and a heat sink 130. The wind cover 1 1 0 has an outlet 112 and an inlet 114 corresponding thereto. The fan 120 is fixed on the wind cover 110 and is suitable for providing an air flow A flowing from the inlet 114 to the outlet 112. In addition, the heat sink 130 includes multiple fins 132 and a base 134. The fins 132 are disposed in the wind cover 110 and arranged in the same direction on the base 134 for increasing the heat-dissipation area of the heat sink 130.

However, the conventional heat-dissipation structure 100 is used only for the heat-dissipation of CPU and fails to provide extra heat-dissipation function for other electronic devices around the CPU. Therefore, the phenomenon of overheating of the electronic devices around the CPU can not be effectively diminished when the computer is operating, which may lead to the malfunction of the computer. According to the above description, the conventional heat-dissipation structure 100 needs to be improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a heat-dissipation structure for dissipating heat in various directions and improving the heat-dissipation effect.

The present invention provides a heat-dissipation structure, which comprises a wind cover, a heat sink, and a wind-shielding plate. The wind cover has an outlet and a fan connection portion corresponding to the outlet and having an inlet. In addition, the heat sink includes a base, multiple fins disposed in the wind cover, and at least a heat pipe passing through the fins and being fixed on the base. Furthermore, the wind-shielding plate is connected to a lowest one of the fins.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one vertical side plate with at least one ventilator is disposed at the bottom of the wind cover.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one side plate is disposed at the bottom of the wind cover, wherein the side plate has a bent edge being in a tilting angle and having at least one ventilator.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat sink further comprises a fixing plate connected to the heat pipe and the base respectively. The fixing plate may be connected to the heat pipe and the base by welding.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the wind-shielding plate may be connected to the lowest one of the fins by welding or be a vertically bent portion of the lowest one of the fins.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat-dissipation structure further comprises a fan disposed on the fan connection portion.

The present invention provides a heat-dissipation structure, which comprises a wind cover, a heat sink, and a wind-shielding plate. The wind cover has an outlet and a fan connection portion corresponding to the outlet and having an inlet. In addition, the heat sink includes a base, multiple fins disposed in the wind cover, and at least a heat pipe passing through the fins and being fixed on the base. The wind-shielding plate is connected to both sides of the wind cover. According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one vertical side plate with at least one ventilator is disposed at the bottom of the wind cover.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one side plate is disposed at the bottom of the wind cover, wherein the side plate has a bent edge being in a tilting angle and having at least one ventilator.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat sink further comprises a fixing plate connected to the heat pipe and the base respectively. The fixing plate may be connected to the heat pipe and the base by welding.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the wind-shielding plate is connected to both sides of the wind cover or is integrally formed with the wind cover.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heat-dissipation structure further comprises a fan disposed on the fan connection portion.

In view of the above, the wind-shielding plate of the present invention leads part of a first air flow to the ventilator to form a second air flow, so as to transmit the heat generated by the electronic devices around the CPU to the surroundings by the convection of the second air flow. Accordingly, the heat-dissipation structure of the present invention has the advantages of multi-directional heat dissipation and superior heat-dissipation effect.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional heat-dissipation structure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a heat-dissipation structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional assembly view of the heat-dissipation structure in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front assembly view of the heat-dissipation structure in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional assembly view of a heat-dissipation structure according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional view of a wind cover according to further another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the heat-dissipation structure 200 is suitable for being disposed on a heat source F, such as a central processing unit (CPU). The heat-dissipation structure 200 comprises a wind cover 210, a fan 220 and a heat sink 240.

The wind cover 210 is in a U-like shape and has two opposite openings, wherein one of the openings is taken as an outlet 212, and the edge of the wind cover 210 at the other opening extends to form a rectangular fan connection portion C. An inlet 214 with large area is formed at and passes through the center of the fan connection portion C. Side plates 218 are disposed in vertical to the bottom of the wind cover 210. Each side plate 218 has at least one ventilator 216 (FIG. 2 shows eight ventilators 216).

The fan 220 may be fixed onto the fan connection portion C by screws to provide cooling air flow.

The heat sink 240 comprises a fixing plate 248, a base 244, multiple fins 242 stacked in sequence, and at least one heat pipe 246 (here shows plural heat pipes 246). The base 244 contacts the heat source F. The fins 242 are disposed in the wind cover 210. The heat pipes 246 pass through the fins 242 in parallel, and are fixed on the base 244 between the fins 242 and the heat source F by, for example, welding. In addition, the attachment of the heat pipes 246 can be enhanced by disposing the fixing plate 248 above the curved portion of the heat pipes 246 and attaching the fixing plate 248 to the heat pipes 246 and the base 244 by welding. The base 244 has a contact surface 244 a suitable for contacting with the heat source F. The lowest fin 242 a stretches out vertically to form a wind-shielding plate 230. In other case, the lowest fin 242 a may be connected to the wind-shielding plate 230 by other manners, such as welding.

The heat pipes 246 may take in U-shape, cylindrical shape, and so on.

The operating process of the heat-dissipation structure of the embodiment is illustrated in the following. Referring to FIG. 3, as to the direction of air flow, the fan 220 provides a first air flow A1 flowing from the inlet 214 to the outlet 212. In addition, part of the first air flow A1 is blocked by the wind-shielding plate 230 and led to the ventilators 216 to form a second air flow A2, wherein the first air flow A1 is substantially perpendicular to the second air flow A2.

As to the heat-dissipation function, the contact surface 244 a of the base 244 transmits the heat generated by the heat source F to the heat pipes 246 through conduction. Portions of the heat pipes 246 near the base 244 are filled with liquid substance, such as water or other volatile matters with high specific heat. After absorbing the heat, the liquid substance is transformed into gaseous state and then rises in the heat pipes 246 so as to transmit the heat to the surrounding fins 242. In the meantime, the fan 220 provides the first air flow A1 and by the first air flow A1 the heat absorbed by the heat pipes 246 and fins 242 is transmitted to the outlet 212.

In addition, part of the first air flow A1 is led to the ventilators 216 by the wind-shielding plate 230 and forms the air flow A2. The heat generated by the electronic devices (not shown) around the heat source F can be transmitted to the surroundings by the convection of the second air flow A2. Therefore, the heat-dissipation structure 200 can achieve the heat dissipation in various directions.

Referring FIG. 5, it is a three-dimensional assembly view of a heat-dissipation structure according to another embodiment of the present invention. The main different between the present embodiment and the former is that the wind-shielding plate 330 of the present embodiment is not extended from the fins 242 a. Instead, the wind-shielding plate 330 is extended from the wind cover 210 or fixed onto the wind cover 210 by screws. The function of the wind-shielding plate 330 is, as mentioned in the above, to lead part of the air flow to the ventilators 216. The illustration of other relative components will not be described in detail hereinafter.

Referring to FIG. 6, it is a schematic view of a wind cover according to further another embodiment of the present invention. Each side plate 219 has a bent edge 219 a near the wind cover 210 and the ventilators 216 are located thereon. Since the bent edge 219 a is configured to have a tilt included angle θ, thus the second air flow A2 passing through the ventilators is led towards the electronic devices (not shown) around the heat source F.

In summary, the wind-shielding plate of the heat-dissipation structure of the present invention leads part of the first air flow to the ventilators to form the second air flow, so as to transmit heat generated by electronic devices around the CPU to the surroundings by the convection of the second air flow. Thus, the temperature of the electronic devices around the heat source can be control in a normal range to prevent the failure of the electronic devices. Accordingly, the heat-dissipation structure of the present invention has the advantages of multi-directional heat dissipation and superior heat-dissipation effect.

The above description provides a full and complete description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. Various modifications, alternate construction, and equivalent may be made by those skilled in the art without changing the scope or spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention which is defined by the following claims. 

1. A heat-dissipation structure, comprising: a wind cover, having an outlet and a fan connection portion corresponding to the outlet, the fan connection portion having an inlet; a heat sink, comprising a base, a plurality of fins disposed in the wind cover, and at least a heat pipe passing through said plurality of fins and being fixed on the base; and a wind-shielding plate, connected to a lowest one of said plurality of fins.
 2. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 1, wherein at least one vertical side plate with at least one ventilator is disposed at a bottom of the wind cover.
 3. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 1, wherein at least one side plate is disposed at the bottom of the wind cover, the side plate having a bent edge being in a tilting angle and having at least one ventilator.
 4. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 1, wherein the heat sink further comprises a fixing plate connected to the heat pipe and the base respectively.
 5. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 4, wherein the fixing plate is connected to the heat pipe and the base by welding.
 6. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 1, wherein the wind-shielding plate is connected to the lowest one of said plurality of fins by welding.
 7. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 1, wherein the wind-shielding plate is a vertically bent portion of the lowest one of said plurality of fins.
 8. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 1, further comprising a fan disposed on the fan connection portion.
 9. A heat-dissipation structure, comprising: a wind cover, having an outlet and a fan connection portion corresponding to the outlet and having an inlet; a heat sink, comprising a base, a plurality of fins disposed in the wind cover, and at least a heat pipe passing through said plurality of fins and being fixed on the base; and a wind-shielding plate, connected to both sides of the wind cover.
 10. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 9, wherein at least one vertical side plate with at least one ventilator is disposed at a bottom of the wind cover.
 11. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 9, wherein at least one side plate is disposed at the bottom of the wind cover, the side plate having a bent edge being in a tilting angle and having at least one ventilator.
 12. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 9, wherein the heat sink further comprises a fixing plate connected to the heat pipe and the base respectively.
 13. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 12, wherein the fixing plate is connected to the heat pipe and the base by welding.
 14. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 9, wherein the wind-shielding plate is connected to both sides of the wind cover by welding.
 15. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 9, wherein the wind-shielding plate and the wind cover are integrally formed.
 16. The heat-dissipation structure of claim 9, further comprising a fan disposed on the fan connection portion. 